


Never Coming Home.

by Give_Me_A_Shot_To_Rememberx



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: D-Day, Fanfiction, Historical, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Sad Ending, War, World War II, dooms day, historical fiction - Freeform, i shouldnt have made this, mikey dies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:54:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23979331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Give_Me_A_Shot_To_Rememberx/pseuds/Give_Me_A_Shot_To_Rememberx
Summary: June 6th, 1944. D-day. The day over 5,000 ships, 13,000 air crafts and 160,000  troops invaded the beaches of Normandy during World War II.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	Never Coming Home.

**Author's Note:**

> So i did a bunch of googling but nothing about the battle its self or life in the 1940s.

The night was silent. It was eerily silent. This was LA, someone should have been up, the wind should have kicked in and the streets should be full yet, as Gerard gazed out the window, time stood still and the silence was deafening. The Absence of the town's usual noise and clutter put him on edge; it wasn't right. Maybe the streets were always this silent at night. Maybe he had never stopped his busy life to consider that maybe this was just how it was. He thought of his grand daughter, Always jumping around the house, his twin grandsons who were constantly battling it out, and his daughter, who always seemed to find a way to get him up to do something. Peace and quiet was a thing of the past since that day. He remembered it vividly. November 8th. The Day his and his brothers lives were destroyed. The Last day he saw his brother smile. The last day he saw his mother smile. The first day he saw her cry.

It was the fall of 1942. He had expected it but he hadn't expected it to be so soon. He, Ray, and his brother Michael had celebrated their friend Franks 20th birthday 8 days before. Frank was the baby of the group but he never acted like one, in fact, he was the one who was most likely to beat you senseless if you looked at him wrong. He wasn't a violent guy he just was tired of always having to wait for someone to handle situations. In their school years together he could remember Frank was always the shy kid everyone always bothered. Every time he tried to tell a teacher or counselor all they did was have a talk and simply tell them to stop as if he hadn't already done that. Michael was in Frank's grade, he was just as small but no one ever messed with Michael though. He was actually a little more popular than Frank was; It just so happened that even though Michael was a little older than Frank, Frank felt the need to protect Gerard's baby bro as if he were his own, that's why when William decided to pick on Michael, Frank had had enough of it. Gerard never heard the full story; he just knew that it had gotten ugly. William did not return to school after that and Frank was nearly expelled. Nothing ever happened to William and he was actually treated as the victim, not Michael or Frank. Frank's parents were understanding though and he didn't get in trouble at home.

Regardless of Frank's tough and threatening appearance the day he, Gerard, Ray, and Michael got their letters informing them they had been drafted he cried. Gerard did his best to comfort his little brother but inside he was just as terrified. Ray hadn't quite felt the effects of the situation he was in. Nothing really sank in until he was on the bus to basic. He didn't ask for any of this. No one there was friendly and even before he got on the bus people were already yelling in his face and expecting him to do things right. He left his girlfriend back in Summit, New Jersey. He promised he would come back for her and she promised to stay for him. If only it was done as easy as it was said.

"Dad. You should really go to bed. It's late and you have to get up early tomorrow." Gerard's daughter said as she walked down the stairs.

"Just a minute Lee I'll be up in a second." Gerard mumbled realising he had been lost in his thoughts of the past. "Wake up" people would often tell him when he got lost. Wake up it's all in your head.

Waking up from memories like that is never really something you do. No matter what he does there's always a longing for the way things used to be. When he was happy. When he, Michael, Ray and Frank would get together and be the kids they were. He lost his life to this battle. He lost everything he had grown familiar with. He lost his father in a work accident and his mother shortly after due to a medical condition the doctors couldn't cure. This battle had taken everything he had. Including his brother Michael.

"Here let me help you up to your room." Lee said as she smiled, her cheerful gaze somehow boosting Gerards mood. She grabbed Gerard's hand and helped to guide the fragile old man upstairs. He was nearly 79 but he could still walk. He took pride in that. Ray was stuck in a wheelchair and had lost feeling in his legs a long time ago. He was no longer bothered by it; he just longed for the time before. Running was a thing he took for granted. He had legs. He could run. Now, he had legs but they failed to be of any use to him.

"Ray called earlier. He told me to wish you good luck tomorrow. He will be there tomorrow and that if you offer him a ride one more time he's going to make sure this is the last event you will be attending." She chuckled as she opened the door to Gerards room. Gerard stepped inside and got into bed. "I don't doubt him. Ray is ambitious. He will not fail to follow through with his plans. I believe it's best not to test that one."

Lee smiled and stood in the doorway. "Well alright. I'll be sure to ensure he knows you will not be offering anymore rides now get some sleep. I'll wake you up tomorrow at 7am sharp." Gerard nodded and tucked himself in. He closed his eyes and sighed. Big day tomorrow.

***

Gerard watched as the room filled with people. He stood on stage as he watched women fill the rows of seats. They were all girlfriends and wives of the men sitting across from them. All eager to see their Husbands and boyfriends before they were shipped off to war. Nobody dared say it but they knew that in a few days they would be sent to what could be their last day serving in this war. The band started and Gerard sang along. He didn't know why he was on stage singing but he didn't seem to mind. The words came naturally to him. He noticed he wasn't his current elderly self but rather his youthful 28 year old self.

Gerard looked to the left of him. The first face he saw was the drummer. He remembered a familiar face, he was a bigger blond guy with a shaved head, Bob he believed. A soldier in his unit. He and Gerard had often been training buddies and even shared a bunk once. Bob never made it out of the battle. His family grieved for him when he didn't return on that bus. Along with thousands of other family members who found their loved ones had never made it back. To his right was Michael. His little brother. He sat tall and proud with his hair neatly gelled to the side and his glasses on the bridge of his nose. Michaels glasses never stayed in one place. Always sliding off just enough to make him push them right back up. Next to him stood Frank. Small he was but on that stage he held himself tall. His gaze was focused on his instrument. Confidently, his fingers slid to their proper position on the neck of his guitar producing a sound that Gerard thought only angels could make. Ray stood beside Frank. Their playing in sync with one another as the men and women joined together and danced. Perfect their moves were. Too perfect. Nothing was out of place and the ladies knew exactly what to do and when to do it. It was almost as if they had rehearsed beforehand. The couples supun and retreat back to their previous places. Spun and spun and spun until the room had started to spin. Gerard nearly fell over at how dizzy and sick he had gotten as he watched. The floor beneath him shifted upwards and fell back down at a sickening speed as his head spun and he became sick to his stomach.

Never coming home.

Never coming home.

Gerard stood upright as the feelings faded. He was no longer in the dance room. Instead he stood upright in the middle of a crowd of men. Men in uniform. They stood silent as the ship that carried them sailed closer and closer to the beach they would be forced to fight on. Gerard looked around the ship and noticed every man was doing something different. One was sat with his head between his knees muttering words of a prayer with a cross clutched in his hand. He didn't look up once as he repeated the words and held it tighter as if it would keep him safe. Maybe the one thing keeping him anchored to reality. Another man gazed at his shoes lost in his thoughts. Maybe he was scared as well. There was a slight shout as a boy two rows in front of him thru his lunch up on the floor of the ship. Nervous or sea sick? Gerard asked himself. He stood tall with an undisturbed look on his face. He thought about Michael. He wouldn't want his brother to see him scared. Even if he was scared he would hide it. He would stand fearless and strong, for Michaels sake.

The men stood at attention as the boat grew less than 20 seconds from the shore. 19. The men stood tall and as they looked upon what could be their doom. 18 thoughts of loved ones flooded their mind as 17, 16 and 15 rolled in in an almost taunting manner. They lifted their plastic covered weapons and waited. Most had uncovered them while a few didn't. 10 seconds. Dragged on forever. Was Gerard going to make it to safety with the rest of the soldiers on the beach? Or was he going to fall along with the ones whose bodies littered the pale sand.

The ship came to a halt and Gerard was back in the dance room. He sat seated next to his brother whose face was full of worry and fear. It felt like none of the events he just experienced had happened and they were back to the only peaceful moment they got. Gerard hated seeing Michael so stressed and afraid. He knew his little brother was afraid of the following days, maybe more than him. Hell, they were all afraid but it hurt to know that it wasn't only Gerard who would have to go through this. He would be fine if it were just him but knowing Michael, Frank and Ray were also heading to the beach in a few days ate at him inside.

"Gerard. Do you think we will make it back? Maybe in time to see Mom?" Michael asked, playing nervously with a toothpick he picked up on the way in.

"Of course Mikey. Nothing will happen to us. We'll be back in time to see mom again. We will tell her how much we missed her and aunt Betty. Shell be happy to see us." Gerard tried to reassure his brother, but the truth was he wasn't entirely convinced himself. There were certain uncertainties in life and this happened to be one of them.

Michael gave a small nod. "Mikey. You haven't called me that since we were 7." he smiled. Gerard smiled as well and sighed down the last of his drink. "You asked me to stop calling you that. You said you were a big kid and didn't like the childish nickname." Gerard said, setting his cup down.

"I kind of missed it. I regretted telling you that." Michael said, twirling the toothpick between his thumb and forefinger.

"We're going to be okay Mikey." Gerard rubbed his brothers back. Michael nodded and looked to Gerard who only gave a reassuring smile.

As the night came to an end the men got up and walked out the door leaving behind their Loved ones. Michael stopped and turned to smile at his girlfriend one last time before he joined the rest of the group. Gerard smiled watching Michael, he seemed happy. Maybe a real smile. His smile didn't last long as his body washed with fear and water flooded over the floor. Once again he was on the ship. Much less on it and more of a quick attempt to run through the cold waters. His boots and socks were quickly soaked and everything up to his waist was covered in the sea's salty waves. He lifted his feet high as he made a dash to the sand and quickly dropped. The men around him had done the same and tried to shield themselves from the swarm of enemy bullets darign to strike them. Gerard quickly leapt to his feet as he ran to the safety of the wall of sand that offered protection. He put his back to the wall and closed his eyes taking a deep breath. Frank had perched right next to him holding his weapon close. He peeled off the plastic and took a deep breath. Gerard opened his eyes and looked around. Michael was hiding behind one of the only things that offered protection. His eyes were full of fear and he was blinking away the tears that formed. He took three quick breaths and got up from his hiding spot and started running for the wall that protected the other boys.

"Mikey! Mikey!" Gerard yelled seeing his brother run towards him and Frank. Frank and the man next to him put their arms on his chest and shoulders trying to hold him down as his instincts kicked in and he tried to run to go get his brother. Michael ran quickly through the sand. His mind was racing with thoughts and his ears were pounding with the gunfire and shouts of his falling friends. An explosion had happened in front of him sending sand flying and his body to a halt. Before he knew it he felt a firey pain in his stomach and he fell to the ground. He let out a cry of agony and lay motionless on the sand. Bombs went off around him and other soldiers ran past. Ray ran to his aid and hastily pulled out a cotton bandage to cover the wound. He pressed it to the gaping hole in mikys abdomen and watched as he saw life draining from the boy's pained eyes.

Gerard cried from the safety of the sand seeing his brother go down. Cries of his brother's name ripped through his throat as all he could do was watch as his brother lay in agony on the beach. He couldn't bring himself to look away from Michaels body as Ray tried to stop the bleeding and patch him up. Gerard knew it wouldn't work. If the bullet didn't kill him he knew the organ damage would. Michael wouldn't survive but that didn't stop the hope he had that Michael and him would return home. Ray sat still as he realised Michael had stopped breathing. There was a moment of rage where he screamed and threw the bandage forcefully into the sand. He ripped the necklace from Michaels neck and grabbed his glasses before running to Gerard and Frank. Ray had tears in his eyes that ran down his face as he collapsed behind the wall. Gerard watched in horror as many of his fellow men fell and lay lifeless in the sand but all he could think of was Michael. Michael. Mikey. His brother. His brother lay lifeless in the sand. What would he tell his mother? What would he tell his girlfriend? How was he supposed to go on? His brother is dead. Killed in a war he never should have had to go to in the first place.

***

Gerard stood silently in front of his mirror. He adjusted the tie of his uniform and turned the pins to their proper position. He adjusted his glasses on his face and stood tall. He no longer stood as tall as the young man he once was but in his old age he did the best he could. Tucked underneath his thigh and buttoned up shirt was a necklace. His brother's dog tags. He never went anywhere without them. Especially not now because today marked 70 years since the fight on that beach took his brothers life and today he and Ray get to talk about it.

**Author's Note:**

> follow my insta @xwrongsideofheavenx


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